Stumbling Along
by A. Windsor
Summary: "Of course my lovely wife is already at the field, but she can't go get the snack, no, because Calliope, it's on your way. Never mind I have the baby and the toddler." Thing!verse [November 2022]


Title: _Stumbling Along_

Author: A. Windsor

Pairing/Characters: Callie/Arizona

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. My two and a half years of law school could allow me to legalese this a little more, but it also tells me it's pretty useless. So please don't sue; it's not mine, I'm just playing!

Series: Thing!verse

Summary: "Of course my lovely wife is already at the field, but _she_ can't go get the snack, no, because _Calliope_, _it's on your way_. Never mind I have the baby and the toddler." [November 2022]

Author's Note: A new thing!verse. I hope you all enjoy! 4500 words to maybe hopefully kinda make up for my absence. Beta'd by the lovely [weirdy, reindeer-panda] roughian.

* * *

"¿Ésto?" [This?]

"Hmm?"

"¿Ésto, Mami?" [This, Mami?]

Callie hikes Teo up higher on her hip and looks down to where little Caroline is pointing. The almost-four-year-old looks up plaintively. Why oh why is the line at the grocery store so damn long today? It's four o'clock in the afternoon!

"¿Chocolate? No, amor. Ahora, no." [Chocolate? No, love. Not now.]

Disgruntled, Caroline furrows her brow, then points to the strawberry milk in the refrigerated case hopefully.

"Caroline, tenemos leche en casa." [Caroline, we have milk at home.]

"Pero no _leche con chocolate_." [But not _milk with chocolate_.]

"No."

"Y no con _strawberry._" [And not with _strawberry_.]

"No, tampoco. Sólo leche. Pero, es demasiado dulce." [No, not that either. Just milk. But it's too sweet.]

Six-month-old Teo gives her hair a quick tug.

"Ow, Teo. ¿Qué haces?" [What are you doing?]

Teo gives her an innocent, gummy smile, and Callie arches her eyebrow at him.

"Nuh-huh. No tires del pelo de Mami, ¿bien? Me duele." [Don't pull Mami's hair, okay? It hurts me.]

"Mami, por favor," Caroline tries again.

Her cell phone starts to ring in her far too big purse, and Callie sighs.

"No, Cari."

"Pero-"

"Basta," Callie snaps.

Caroline narrows her eyes and then pouts.

The phone continues to blast some ridiculous pop song that Lena programed in yesterday while Callie digs in her purse. Teo's little feet (only wearing socks, of course, because now she's _that mom_ even though she totally used to judge that mom) beat a tattoo against her hip. She finally wrestles the phone from the bag with one last shake of her head at Caroline, who tries to surreptitiously make a move on a flavored milk. Caroline crosses her arms over her chest.

"Torres."

"Dr. Torres, hi. It's Lau."

Her fellow. Of course.

"Lau..."

It's more warning than greeting.

"I know, I know. I'm not supposed to be bothering you."

"No. You're not. Because I am late. I'm already late, and I'm at the grocery store, because I forgot a snack. And I can't arrive without snack. Because do you know what that would make me? The mom who forgot snack. A sin that can never be forgotten by all the other moms and their judge-y looks. Because God forbid some of us moms work and - "

"I'll be quick, I promise," Lau interjects, but Callie is on a roll.

"Of course my lovely wife is already at the field, but _she_ can't go get the snack, no, because _Calliope_, _it's on your way_. Never mind I have the baby and the toddler."

She probably shouldn't be using her fellow for therapeutic venting, but Lau actually is quite good at it.

"Do you need me to get a snack?" Rayna Lau offers.

Callie sighs. "No, we're already here. With half of Seattle."

"I'll make sure Jamie puts it on your calendar next time."

"Thanks. What's up?"

"There is some major swelling in Meyer Soloman's knee. It may just be infection, but the CT was inconclusive. Can I open him back up and make sure everything's okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Email me the scans, though, maybe I can take a look at him while the first and third-graders run around like bumblebees on the soccer field. Who replaced the knee?"

"Ford did the hardware work, but I supervised."

"Do what you think is best. Keep me in the loop, but if it's non-emergent stick to texts or emails, okay?"

"Sure thing. Sorry."

"It's fine," Callie assures as the line finally starts to move again. She puts her hand down at her side, to pick up the basket of granola bars as well as to usher little Caroline along, but finds one of those missing. "Gotta go."

Caroline _wanders_. She has for about a year now, and Callie knows that, and Callie is prepared for that, but it still sends a shock of pure panic and terror through her gut when she can't immediately find her daughter. Tightening her grip on Teo, she swivels around, searching for any trace of her.

She tries desperately to remember what Cari was wearing, but apparently she's _that_ mom who forgets that, too. Basket of granola bars pulling painfully at her fingers and Teo slipping down her hip, Callie relinquishes her spot in the epically long line and heads directly to the candy aisle.

She's not there, and Callie actually growls in frustration, which startles little Teo. She hikes him up higher in her arms, and he squawks in disapproval at the man-handling.

As Callie heads for the next likely place, the panic bubbles up again. What if this _isn't_ just another of Caroline's wanderings. What if someone-

"Hola, Mami," Caroline waves from alongside the lobster tank. "Le llamo Spike." [I call him Spike.]

"Caroline!"

"¿Puedo tenerlo?" [Can I have him?]

"Caroline Grace, ven aquí. Now," Callie orders, pointing firmly to her feet. [Come here.]

Caroline hesitates.

"Anda ahorita," Callie repeats, even more firmly, and Caroline's defiant feet start tripping over to her side. [Move it, now.]

When she arrives, Caroline looks up with big brown eyes and says:

"Perdona, Mami." [Sorry, Mami.]

There's a speech, a "don't scare me like that" and "something terrible could happen" speech, all carefully calculated to prevent this happening again, but the speech hasn't really worked yet, and Callie just doesn't have the energy for it today.

"Vamanos," she says instead. [Let's go.]

Caroline nods and starts back towards the front of the store. They pass a massive display of Gatorade on the way.

Shit. She needs that, too.

* * *

"Hey! There you guys are!" Arizona greets them when they finally stumble over to the bleachers.

"Not right now," Callie mumbles as she passes Teo off to her and dumps the shopping bag of granola bars and Gatorade at her feet.

"Oh-kay," Arizona says softly, bouncing Teo a little and getting a wide, beaming grin from the baby.

"Momma," Caroline says, knowing it's a more sympathetic ear. "Can I go swing?"

"No," Callie says quickly. "You need to sit for a few minutes right on that bench, and you know why."

Arizona pulls a face. "Another wander?"

Callie nods and sits down on the bleacher seat with a sigh. Caroline huffs her way onto the bench in a quite similar fashion, and Arizona looks over to Teo in her arms.

"So, bubba. How was your day?"

Teo just reaches up with his tiny hand and bats at her cheek.

"Hey, Mami," Asa greets Callie as he comes jogging over to their seats. The nine-year-old leans over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek before turning his attention to his little brother. "Teo!"

Arizona turns Teo outward on her hip to see his brother. Teo gives an excited giggle and waves his arms and feet in celebration of his brother's arrival.

"Shouldn't you be warming up, too, m'ijo?" Callie asks him, fighting off the impending headache building between her shoulder blades and snaking up her spine.

"His game starts fifteen minutes after hers," Arizona informs her as the uniformed Asa plays with his brother's feet. "God forbid they schedule it conveniently."

"Cari, ¿qué hiciste?" Asa calls over to his sister. [What did you do?]

"Ah-ah, déjala," Callie tuts. [Leave her.] "She's in trouble. Where's Lena?"

"With her team," Asa answers, hooking a thumb over his shoulder to the group of blue-shirted first graders.

Their six-year-old stands out for her bright blonde ponytail and the fact that when she kicks the ball, it generally goes in the direction she planned. Her teammates still struggle to actually strike the ball successfully.

"My game's on the next field over, Mami," Asa informs her. "Right over the bleachers."

"Mm, that's great." The headache is coming back, and they're in for a long evening of yelling parents and shouting kids.

"So at least we can watch back and forth," Arizona smiles, adjusting the baby on her hip. "Asa, can you help me take the snack Mami brought over to Lena's bench?"

"Yes, ma'am," Asa hops to, bending down to pick up the two dozen little Gatorade bottles and taking them across the field to the team bench.

"I can help," Callie protests weakly.

"We've got it," Arizona brushes her off, picking up the paper bag full of granola bars. "You two just stay here and take a few deep breaths."

"I gotta peeeee," Caroline pipes up.

Arizona sighs and then beckons her. "Okay, you just stay here and take a few deep breaths."

"You're patronizing me," Callie grumbles as Caroline hops up from the bench and hurries to her mother's side.

"You're grumpy," Arizona shoots back meaningfully. "Take a few minutes. The game will start soon."

Arizona herds Caroline across the small soccer field ahead of her, tossing one last reassuring smile over her shoulder.

Callie is torn. On the one hand, her super hot wife is being super sweet and she's being super mom, taking over the kids and making sure everything gets done. On the other, her super hot wife is still super perky after working all day _and_ she made her stop at the super crowded grocery store with their two youngest children in tow.

Super.

* * *

Lena's coach this year happens to be one of her godmothers and one of Arizona's best friends, Aunt Rachel. Which Lena thinks is awesome, and Arizona also thinks is awesome, given how _not_ into kids Rachel has always been. She _is_ into soccer, however, and into her goddaughter, so she decided to throw herself on the altar of U-8 soccer coaching and all the insanity that goes with it. For her goddaughter.

"Hey there, coach," Arizona greets her. "The Robbins-Torres family is dropping off our contribution."

"Providing the only kid who can get the ball in the vicinity of the goal is really enough," Rachel says lowly, careful to not let the other parents overhear.

"Not according to your team mom's very carefully planned out schedule," Arizona counters.

"Don't get me started," Rachel rolls her eyes.

"Momma, I'm gonna go warm up!" Asa calls with a wave in her direction. At her nod, he takes off running across the field.

Rachel catches her up on a little bit of gossip from their old circle of friends while Arizona watches to make sure Asa gets to his team alright.

"_Momma_," Caroline tugs on her sweater. "_Pee_. Tengo que _peeeee._" [Gotta peeeeee.]

"I think duty calls, Momma Robbins," Rachel smiles at her.

"No, just the bathroom," Arizona grins. "Okay, okay."

"Want me to keep the little man while you two go?"

"That would be awesome," Arizona sighs with relief, handing Teo off to his aunt. "Just don't go near any of the single moms with him, alright? Coaching peewee soccer and good with a baby? You'll be the perfect catch."

Rachel shudders.

"Roger that. Having these kiddos twice a week for soccer is enough responsibility for me."

* * *

Her headache doesn't disappear, but it does subside a little as the game gets underway. Most of the parents have refrained from being too obnoxious. Sometimes she has to restrain Arizona from confronting the more loud and critical parents. Sometimes she joins her in shutting them up. Teo is dozing in the carseat Arizona retrieved from the car, and Caroline is entertaining herself reasonably well, snuggled up to her momma's side and playing with the rings on Arizona's left hand.

Still, it's not that she doesn't want to support her children's athletic endeavors. She just doesn't want to support them _right now_. She wants to go home and take advantage of a blessedly quiet house and sleep away the end of this headache.

Asa's game started ten minutes ago, so it's once again time to go sneak a peek at what is going on over there. His game is longer (four fifteen-minute quarters compared to two fifteen-minute halves for the younger kids) so they'll be able to watch the end of his. Objectively, his game is much more fun to watch: at eight and nine, the children have a much firmer grasp of both their motor skills and the rules of the game than do Lena's six- and seven-year-old teammates. The bumblebee phenomenon of Lena's game does have its moments, but the older kids put on a better show.

So Callie is off to the side of the bleachers, watching Asa take the ball down the left wing, when the commotion takes place.

And by commotion she means: a clunk, a collective gasp, and a wail she would recognize anywhere.

Even though she hears Arizona's anxious cry of "_Lena!"_, Callie is only a little worried at first. Lena takes many tumbles in her all-out approach to soccer, and she tends to be a bit of a drama queen about it, too. Arizona is much the same way about any of the kids' injuries, so Callie tries to be the level-headed one.

When the teenage referee clears a path to the goal post where the incident occurred, though, Callie's stomach drops.

That's a lot of blood.

Sparing a glance to the bleachers to check on her family, Callie notes that Arizona has enlisted another parent to watch over the younger two and is already sprinting across the field to Lena's side. Both to check on Lena and stop Arizona from doing anything rash, Callie takes off after her.

The blood seems to be coming mostly from Lena's forehead, at least as far as Callie can see around Arizona, who is scooping their girl into her arms. Rachel is there, too, stripping off her sweatshirt and handing it to Arizona, who uses it to apply pressure to the head wound.

"What- Is she-"

Lena is crying still, which is probably a good sign. No shock or loss of consciousness. There is blood all over her face, though, and Callie's heart leaps painfully.

"Está bien, m'ija. Momma's got you." [It's okay.]

"Callie..." Arizona croaks.

"It's okay," Callie repeats.

"Should I call an ambulance?" Rachel asks, voice tight.

"I'll drive. It's faster," Arizona says, meeting Callie's eyes for just a moment, her own eyes wide and fearful. Callie nods, and Arizona immediately starts off for her car.

Callie goes to follow her, but Rachel stops her with a hand on her shoulder.

"What?"

"Give me your keys," Rachel demands, holding out her hand. "I'll round up the kids and meet you at the hospital. Your hospital, I assume."

Callie nods and stuffs her hands into her jacket pockets, coming up empty.

"They're in my purse, by the car seat," she tells Rachel, already hurrying off to join Arizona.

* * *

By the time Callie gets to the parking lot, Arizona has tucked Lena into the backseat.

"Get in," Callie instructs her wife, wincing when she sees the amount of blood coating Arizona's shirt.

"I can drive," she protests as Callie slips her hands into Arizona's pockets to grab the keys.

Callie gestures to Arizona's hands, bloody and shaking.

"No, you can't." Hands still in her wife's pockets, Callie tugs her a little closer and kisses her quickly. "Get in there. Keep her calm. We'll be there in no time."

Arizona takes a shuddering breath and then nods. Callie fights down the panic-induced nausea and heads for the driver's side.

The ride goes smoothly at first, Arizona in the back with Lena's head nestled in her lap, applying pressure and murmuring reassuringly. Callie keeps her eyes on the road, but at every stoplight she hazards a look at the rearview mirror, checking on her girls.

They're just a few minutes away from the hospital, when little Lena croaks:

"Momma, am I gonna die?"

Callie's nausea crests again, and she meets Arizona's wet eyes in the mirror.

"No, baby, no. _Of course not_. It's just a cut."

"'S bleedin' a lot."

"Head wounds do that," Arizona says, voice shaky. "And maybe your brain got a little knocked around. They'll take a picture. But I promise you, you're going to be okay."

* * *

"Who the hell paged me for a little kid's head lac? My residents couldn't even do a consult before they called me?"

Mark Sloan is responding to a page in the Pit (and reaming out anyone in sight) when he hears the commotion.

"I said I want Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Sloan, _now_."

"But I can handle these stitches, ma'am-"

"No! No one is touching my baby but those two. Not some infantile resident who can't-"

"Whoa, Robbins," Mark says quickly, pulling aside the curtain to find Robbins tearing into an unsuspecting resident and Callie pretty much letting her. In the bed is a sniffling, wide-eyed, blood-stained Lena. "I'm here."

"Where's Derek?" she demands.

"He's not working today," Mark soothes.

"Meredith then," Callie adds.

Mark turns to the resident. "Run and get Dr. Grey. Do not _page _her. Go find her and bring her here." The resident hesitates. "Go. I am giving you an out. Why are you still here?"

"Thanks, Mark," Callie smiles slightly, a hand holding fast to Lena's.

"It's okay. Now, take a deep breath. Tell me what happened."

"We were at a soccer game," Arizona explains. "All the kids were crowded around the goal, trying to kick the ball. I think she hit her head on the goal post."

"Baby Blondie," Mark grins sloppily at the almost-seven-year-old. "You're supposed to lead with your _foot_ not your _head_."

That gets a slight giggle from Lena.

"Hi, Uncle Mark."

"That's my girl, though. Goes after the ball," Mark soothes, gently moving the moms aside so that he can examine her. He turns to them. "Any LOC?"

"I don't think so," Arizona tells him anxiously, arms crossed over her chest protectively. "I mean, I wasn't there, but, she was crying almost immediately. Her pupils are round and reactive, it's just such a delicate little head and-"

"We'll do a CT, but I'm sure she's fine. And Meredith is going to come look you over, okay, kiddo?"

Lena nods, then moans at the motion.

"I know it hurts, but you'll be up and chasing Grey around in no time," Mark assures her. "I'm gonna go talk to your moms for a second, okay?"

"Okay."

Mark motions for them to follow him. Callie does so. Arizona lingers.

"Babe," Callie says gently, returning for her with a warm hand on her shoulder. She gives Lena a small smile. "She'll be fine."

"I'm tough, Momma," Lena says.

Faiza, one of the ER's most experienced nurses, steps in and holds Lena's hand. Lena grins at her, then winces as she begins to dab at the gash.

The three doctors take a few steps away, and Mark pulls the curtain closed.

"You're gonna fix it," Arizona points at him.

"I got this," Mark assures her. "She looks great."

"She's covered in blood and there is a giant wound on her forehead!" Arizona counters.

Arm around her shoulders, Callie rubs Arizona's arms reassuringly.

"Arizona, head wounds bleed a lot," Callie soothes.

"And it's not that big," Mark calms her. "I'm gonna put the stitches along here." He marks it out on his own forehead. "You won't even see it by the end of the year. She looks great. She's alert, and her pupils are round, even, and reactive. Meredith will take a look at the CT, and she'll tell you the same thing. Lena is _fine_, Arizona."

"Why don't you get started, Mark?" Callie suggests meaningfully.

Mark nods and disappears back behind the curtain.

"Alright, Baby Blondie. Are you ready for me to stitch you on up?"

"We need to be in there," Arizona argues.

Callie puts a hand to her cheek, gently forcing her to look at her. Her eyes are an especially clear blue, probably from the tears.

"It's gonna take him a few minutes to get everything together. We'll be there before the needles. But you need to calm down. You're freaking Lena out, a little."

"I'm-"

"I get it, Momma Bear. I was scared, too. Really scared. But she's gonna be fine. This isn't even as serious as Asa's broken collarbone."

Arizona looks a little nauseous.

"Don't remind me of that," she reproaches.

"I know, I'm sorry. Kids are clumsy, but she's _fine_."

"I just see so many that aren't," Arizona says, voice quivering.

Callie pulls her into an embrace, holding her close, feeling her shake a little. It's Arizona's greatest fear, their children on a bed in this hospital. It's a fear that almost kept them apart, almost meant their miraculous family never existed.

And it's a fear Arizona faces down every day with nothing but pure courage, faith, and love for their babies.

"I know. Come on. Let's go hold her hand. I bet Meredith will even let you hold her hand all the way to CT."

* * *

"Bailey has stolen our baby."

Arizona looks up to see her wife in the doorway of the on call room with two bottles of water.

"I wouldn't protest too much if she wanted to keep him overnight."

"Yes, you would," Callie calls her out. "Alex has Caroline, Mark is entertaining Lena, and Rachel and Asa went to get dinner for everyone."

"I just needed a minute," Arizona explains her disappearance. "Once Meredith said everything was fine, I just needed-"

"I know," Callie reassures her, sitting beside her on the lower bunk and hands her the bottle of water.

"I'm sorry I'm such a monster."

"You are not."

"I was all over that resident, and yelling at-"

"You're protective. Of _our_ babies. That doesn't make you a monster. That makes you a mom."

Arizona kisses Callie's temple.

"How's that headache doing?"

"Fine, now. Adrenaline must have- Hey, how did you know I had a headache?"

Arizona gives her a little smile.

"I know all your types of grumpy, and this was definitely headache grumpy," Arizona says, kissing her cheek.

"Then how come you didn't offer your patented cure?"

Arizona laughs. "At the soccer field?"

"I know worse has been done in those bathrooms."

"Calliope!"

Callie grins at her and kisses her. "You hanging in there?"

Arizona takes a moment before opening her eyes, nodding slowly.

"Good. Want to go round up the troops yet?"

Arizona shakes her head this time, gingerly lying back, tugging on the front of Callie's shirt.

"Just lay with me. For just a minute."

"Always."

* * *

"Hey there, bruiser," Callie says as she peeks into the curtained area of the ER, having just caught the tail end of Lena telling Mark all about her badass leap to try to knock the ball into the net.

"Hola, Mami," Lena smiles at her.

The circles around Lena's blue eyes are dark, and her eyelids are drooping. It's late, not quite bed time but close enough, and she's had quite the day.

"Are you ready to go home, mi amor?"

Lena nods, reaching a hand out to her, which Callie gladly takes. Callie gingerly brushes her curls aside to examine the line of sutures.

"Is she okay to go, Dr. Sloan?"

"Dr. Sloan," Lena sleepily giggles. She has the smallest scrub top they make on over her tiny soccer shorts, and it still hangs off her shoulder a bit. Her soccer jersey is in a plastic bag in Callie's purse, stained (possibly hopelessly) with blood.

"All clear," Mark grins at them both.

"Good. Momma has Teo, and she's meeting us and Caroline at the car."

"Where's Asa?" Lena yawns.

"He and Aunt Rachel are waiting at home with dinner."

"You want the cool wheelchair out to the car?" Mark asks.

"Or do you want Mami to carry you?" Callie offers.

"Carry," Lena says automatically. At almost seven, she barely ever gets to be carried anymore. She extends her arms.

"You sure you got her, Cal?" Mark asks worriedly.

"Definitely." She leans across the hospital bed to kiss her friend's cheek. "Thank you for taking such good care of my Lena-nena."

"Anything for all of my Robbins-Torres ladies," Mark swears. "Baby Blondie, I'll see you for carpool tomorrow."

"Bye, Uncle Mark," Lena says distractedly, snuggling into her madre's arms, her legs immediately wrapping firmly around Callie's hips.

"Bye, Uncle Mark," Callie echoes her.

Callie heads out. The nurses and residents all pass on their "get-well-soons" but generally stay out of their way. Callie keeps her eyes out for Caroline and Alex, but she mostly pays attention to the little girl in her arms.

"Am I gonna have a scar forever?" Lena asks halfway through the lobby, voice muffled in Callie's shoulder.

"It might be very light, but yes, probably a little bit of one. Un poquitíto." [A tiny little one.]

"Is i' gonna be ugly?" Lena yawns.

"Psh," Callie assures her. "Scars are _badass_. Just like you."

"Badass," comes a tiny giggle from behind her.

"Ah jeez, Caroline. Shhh," Alex shushes his goddaughter on his shoulders. Caroline is just beaming, and damn if her younger daughter isn't ridiculously charming in her own way. It's not Lena's bright and shiny charm, nor Asa's young chivalry, but it is there, in her snark, her confidence, and her bothersome independence. As much as she sometimes wants to scream, Callie wouldn't trade her Thing Three for anything. Though maybe the wandering could be cut back, a little.

"Caroline Grace, ¿portaste bien con Uncle Alex?" [Did you behave for Uncle Alex?]

"Sí," Caroline promises as Alex wrangles her off of his shoulders.

"How are you feeling, Leni?" Alex asks the girl on Callie's hip.

Lena shrugs, still tired.

"You'll feel better in no time," Alex promises her.

Callie drops a kiss on whatever part of Lena's head she can reach and then holds her hand out for Caroline to grab on to, which the girl for once obediently takes. Callie gives that hand a little squeeze.

"Ready to go home, mis hijas?" [my girls?]

"Yes, please," they chorus.

After some quick goodbyes to Uncle Alex, Callie takes her girls out to the parking lot, Lena snuggled safely on her hip, Caroline stumbling along behind.

Callie wants to think this has been a bad day, but all of her kids made it out of the day more or less okay, so that will always be a good day. She wants to think that this is a crazy day, an unusual day, but the chaos is actually quite normal.

So instead it is just a day. A day full of her hectic family and their hectic life, and now she gets to go home to her beautiful wife and their beautiful children.

So maybe, after all, it's a great day.

* * *

el fin


End file.
